


Blind to One's Self

by Officer_Jennie



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [41]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Founders Era, Just two idiots talking a bit, M/M, madara for hokage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-02-29 05:29:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18772159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Officer_Jennie/pseuds/Officer_Jennie
Summary: Madara had been chosen by the people, but he was certain there was a mistake. What could they possibly see in him that he couldn't see in himself?





	Blind to One's Self

Madara’s usual quiet place really wasn’t all that quiet anymore.

During the first few months their village was being built, they had him running ragged. It seemed every time he tried to take a second for himself someone else needed him - no matter that he didn’t have the mokuton necessary to build the houses, the people skills to deal with clan emissaries, barely any experience with non-shinobi to know what the hell to do with civilians, no patience to deal with the children running amok.

Why everyone insisted on getting his input on everything then, he hadn’t really known. Now, with the village-wide celebration reaching even up to his hilltop, the trees rustling against each other at his back, and a new title to his name, he had a sinking suspicion they’d all seen something in him that didn’t exist.

“I figured I’d find you here.”

Madara didn’t turn to greet his uninvited visitor, staring off at the new rooftops while his lip curled. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” It didn’t have near the bite behind it that it should have.

“Just that you seem to like it up here.” Hashirama came to stand next to him, his smile far too big and bright - as usual. “This is where it really started, isn’t it? Where it all started to feel  _real_.”

Madara grunted, but not really in agreement. Because it still didn’t feel real. Not to him, not fully, though it seemed no one else had any issue with that. No one else stopped to stare blankly around them for a while, or snuck off to breathe - even Izuna had an easy enough accepting it all as  _real_ , even if he still hated that it was happening.

“Do you think the Hyuuga will join? I know we only sent the messenger yesterday, but…”

“Do you ever stop talking?” He could already feel the migraine coming on, turning his head to glare over at Hashirama. “If I wanted to talk about the damned Hyuuga I would’ve said so.”

The idiot didn’t even look taken aback by his sharp tone anymore, just giving a softer smile than normal, one that crinkled his eyes in that way that almost made Madara want to jump down the cliff and rejoin the celebrations - crowds of people were still easier to deal with than whatever decided to start jumping around inside of him.

“Sorry, I guess I’m just worrying too much again.”

“Wouldn’t need to worry if  _you_ were the one they’d be talking to.” He glared back off at their village, the summer sun beating off the slight chill from the breeze. With a Senju speaking on behalf of the newly founded Konoha, the Hyuuga could have been easily brought to their side - especially with the white bastard shooting down any and every potential issue a clan might have with joining them. But with an Uchiha…

There wasn’t quite as much bad blood between the Hyuuga and Uchiha as there had been between the founding clans, but the Hyuuga also didn’t have a blustering idiot as their leader. It was a terrible move to appoint  _him_ as the first hokage when Hashirama was the one so good at talking people over to their side.

When something brushed against his hair, his hand shot out on instinct, griping Hashirama’s wrist before he even knew what he’d grabbed ahold of. All his friend did was blink a bit in surprise, a leaf caught between two of his fingers, plucked out of Madara’s hair from where the wind had carried it from the trees.

He let go quickly, shifting a bit further away while hiding his face in his high collar.

“They won’t take too kindly to the idea of an  _Uchiha_ leading them.” Best not to deal with whatever had his heart picking up. Or whatever fever was coming over him, since it couldn’t be the sun causing his face to burn so horribly.

“I’m sure they’ll come around.” Hashirama saddled right on up next to him again, leaning over to beam at him. “You were elected for a reason, after all. Shouldn’t take long for them to see that.”

“And what reason was that?” He hadn’t been the one to bring their clans together. For years he’d been urging the war on, partially out of leftover hurt, partially from listening to his brother over his own heart. And he knew full well he didn’t get along well with most anyone.

So why was it that the damned title went to  _him_ over the man standing at his side. The one who  _had_ brought their clans together, despite loud protests from each side. The one who had been shouting across the battlefield for the blood to stop, whispering when they clashed swords about how he never wanted to fight. Who had drug Madara almost forcefully into believing him, and had done the same with every clan official he’d talked to so far.

“Because you’re the best leader for us.” Hashirama just shrugged when Madara stared at him, leaning in a bit closer until their shoulders brushed together. “You’re passionate. I’ve never seen you give only part of yourself to something, and right now we  _need_ someone able to force the world to see us.”

“What, and you couldn’t do that?”

“Probably not in the same way, no.” This time, Madara didn’t snatch his hand away when he picked another leaf from his hair, the both of them watching its path down towards the village. “It’s a little telling that they voted you in, you know. They want to follow you. And I do too.”

“Shut up, don’t care about your opinions.” He also didn’t care for his laughter, no matter how light and stupid it made him feel, so he made sure to punch Hashirama extra hard in the arm for it. And no amount of drooping or moping about could make him apologize for doing so - no matter that the idiot’s opinions had made his worry and hesitance over leading the first ever shinobi village a bit lighter.


End file.
